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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28678359">Spanish Boots of Spanish Leather</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theonewhosawitall/pseuds/Theonewhosawitall'>Theonewhosawitall</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hawaii Five-0 (2010)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Family, Friendship/Love, Inspired by Music, Long-Distance Relationship, Love Stories, M/M, Sailing, Steve McGarrett Leaves, Worry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:08:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,733</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28678359</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theonewhosawitall/pseuds/Theonewhosawitall</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>If Steve flies off to find himself then Danny assumes he'll be home in up to six months. But Steve just brought a boat. Now Danny has to adjust his expectations.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Steve McGarrett/Danny "Danno" Williams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>97</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It took landing in a busy commercial airport for the first time in his entire adult life for Steve to decide that he didn’t like air travel. Not like this anyway. Not with people storming past like they were the only people who mattered, wheeling their bags behind them like they were trying to take out someone’s ankles. No, this was too busy. Too hectic. It set off his ingrained SEAL alerts and sent his eyes searching for every potential danger. This place was perfect for an ambush. It was to busy and bustling. He could easily be taken and lost forever. He still had enemies out here after all.</p><p>Danny slammed the fridge and raised both his eyebrows. His hand shifted on the phone to angle the speaker clearer in case he hadn't heard right. "You brought a boat?"</p><p>"Yep! Or should I say aye?" Steve grinned.</p><p>Danny knew he was grinning. He could hear it in his voice. Steve was very pleased with his purchase and his new decision.</p><p>"So you're going to sail the world to find the place that you belong now?" Danny repeated.</p><p>"Yeah. I should have done this right from the start. The ocean is where I've always felt most at home, it seems only fitting I sail to find where I belong, right?"</p><p>"Right..."</p><p>Danny deeply disagreed. In his mind he quietly pushed back the day on the calendar he was hoping Steve would be home by. If he was flying, Danny couldn't imagine him being gone more than six months. But since he was sailing now... It didn’t bare thinking about.</p><p>"When Kono went sailing she got caught in a storm Steve. She got wrecked and sunstroke and she was paddling for two days and she was only going to the next island-" Danny began nervously.</p><p>"I know the waters and the waters know me Danny," Steve stated.</p><p>"Things go wrong for everyone Steve," Danny warned.</p><p>"I've been trained for this. And I'll have a satellite phone with me at all times, I'll text you the number later," Steve promised.</p><p>Steve sniggered affectionately at his worries. Danny grumbled. He was deeply unimpressed by his arrogance. Danny knew how quickly and easily things could go wrong out at sea if you didn’t treat it with the respect it deserved. He had lived it once, almost twice. But Steve carried on like an eager teen, excited to start his journey.</p><p>"It's going to be perfect! I'll be landless. I'll be loveless. I'll be free Danny!" He beamed.</p><p>Danny felt a beat in his chest. "Loveless?"</p><p>There was something at the other end that sounded slightly like a grimace. A regret. Something that he hadn't meant to mention but now he had to.</p><p>"I wasn't going to tell you this but... I ran into Cath on the plane."</p><p>Another beat hit Danny's chest. Hard. "You did? Cath? As in Catherine Cath?"</p><p>"Yeah," Steve thankfully sounded less enthusiastic now.</p><p>Bitterness slipped into Danny's tone as he said, "As in, sided with your mother to lie to you and betray you and left you broken hearted when you wanted to propose to her Catherine?"</p><p>"Yeah..."</p><p>"As in dragged you to an abandoned military out post and held you captive in a spike filled pit to demand information from you, and encouraged you to <em>torture</em> -"</p><p>"Yes! Yes, okay, yes, that Catherine, the one who brings out the worst in me, the one I've never been able to say no to, the one who broke my heart, yes, <em>THAT</em> Catherine!" Steve snapped.</p><p>He let out a sigh he had clearly been holding in for a while. Danny tried not to sound as smug as he felt at the sound. Steve had clearly remembered his lessons, even if he still dared to risk spending time with her.</p><p>But that was Steve all over. He could handle spending time with Catherine despite the constant threat of danger. He liked the thrill of the chase knowing he would never, ever tame her. He could handle the open ocean.</p><p>"Well how is she?" Danny asked. He hoped that it sounded curious. They had once been friends after all. Once.</p><p>"She's fine. She's formed some kind of international task force from some old SEAL buddies of hers and they're risking their lives to cross international boundaries and rescue children who get sold as slaves. She's doing good work, even if its not legal, which doesn’t matter because I’m not a cop anymore-" humour snuck into Steve's voice.</p><p>"I still am, tell her I don't want to hear about it," Danny huffed.</p><p>"It’ll be hard, she's not with me anymore," Steve snorted.</p><p>The bitter bite in Danny's chest lifted. "She's - she's not?"</p><p>"No. We had a talk on the plane and we settled all our differences. There’s a lot more than ever these days. We agreed... I decided that we've probably equalled out our favours by now. Neither of us owe the other anything. Even though she'll always be really important to me."</p><p>Deep down Steve knew part of him was always going to be in love with Catherine. She was the only person who had ever been able to make him consider marriage. Although if he was honest that was mostly so that he could tie her to him. So that no matter how long the rope had to be, he always knew she would come back to him. But she was still as wild as he had once been. Since coming home, something had tamed him. He had a good idea what too.</p><p>“So... so she's out of your life for good?" Danny asked hopefully.</p><p>"Well I'm not gonna block her on Facebook, but yeah," Steve shrugged.</p><p>Danny sighed. "Is it an arsehole thing to say that I'm relieved?"</p><p>"Kinda. But I am too," Steve admitted.</p><p>"So you'll be loveless then?" Danny asked.</p><p>Steve took a deep breath as he considered telling Danny the truth for a moment. But this isn’t the kind of thing you say on the phone before taking on the world from a boat.</p><p>"Kind of."</p><p>Danny felt a pang of disappointment. He cleared it away as he cleared his throat to warn, "If you're sailing the world alone you wont meet anyone new."</p><p>"I could meet anyone in the world if they come to the docks Danny. I'm a free man. I can sail anywhere the ocean travels!" Steve declared.</p><p>"Where's stop one Captain?" Danny smiled.</p><p>"No idea! I set sail in the morning. Wherever I land I'll send you a postcard," Steve beamed.</p><p>Danny chuckled and shook his head, ignoring the pain in his gut. "Send the kids the postcards, all I want is you to come home safe, got it?"</p><p>Steve's smile grew as his voice softened, "You worried about me Danno?"</p><p>The pain in Danny's gut squeezed harder. "I'm worried about that liver of mine. I cant have it sinking to the bottom of the ocean, it would be far too ironic!"</p><p>Steve laughed brightly in agreement, "I'll think about you the whole time!"</p><p>Danny closed his eyes. He held in the sigh aching in his lungs. "You'd better. I love you buddy, aloha."</p><p>"Love you too," Steve smiled softly.</p><p>Danny sighed as he set his phone on the table. It was already too ironic for him. Danny hated the sun and sand and the ocean. Yet here he was living in a tropical paradise in a beach side house because he had fallen in love with a Navy SEAL. A beach side house...</p><p>Danny stepped down the lalani steps and walked down the beach to where the sea lapped at the shore. The sun was beginning to dip over the distant horizon now and the sky was burning red. It gave the waves a golden shimmer. Danny took a deep breath of the salty sea air and glared out at the horizon across the water.</p><p>"You'd better take damn good care of him."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Are you sure?"</p><p>"What would I do with it?"</p><p>"Put it in your car!"</p><p>"Steve, I didn't want the solar powered hula dancer, I don't want a bobble head camel!"</p><p>"Then what do you want?"</p><p>"I don’t want anything Steve! I don't want you to send me anything, there is nothing I want to own that I couldn't get off the internet, I don’t want anything."</p><p>At the other end of the phone Danny heard Steve huff. He had been to a dozen places already on his travels and every time he asked Danny what he wanted he never got an answer. Danny never everything he didn't want but he'd never tell Steve what he did. How could he? You don’t say that sort of thing on the phone. His mind screamed it though, every time the phone rang. Every time Steve asked him what he wanted from his travels. <em>I just want you home.</em></p><p>"I'll see if I can find any post cards then. I don't know if I have any stamps left, I brought a pack of six in Tanzania but I think I'm already out," Steve explained.</p><p>"International postage is expensive, even just for postcards," Danny agreed.</p><p>"Yeah but it's worth is. The ocean is magnificent and wide and all alone out here it's..." Steve trailed off quietly.</p><p>"Endless?" Danny offered.</p><p>"Lonesome..." Steve muttered.</p><p>He heaved a heavy sigh that Danny could feel from here. Despite the thousand mile gap between them, he could practically feel Steve beside him. Not enough to hug him like he wanted. Not enough to ease his troubles. Not enough to hold him.</p><p>"I never noticed it when I had a crew to command but it's really big and really endless and I'm all alone out here Danny," Steve sighed.</p><p>"Then why are you still out there?" Danny bit back his impatience and his frustrations. It wasn't fair to pile them on Steve, but he wanted him back. He wanted him.</p><p>"Because it's amazing!" Steve gave a wistful laugh, "I know you don’t like the ocean but I don’t understand how. Last night the entire milky way was above me and I fell asleep counting shooting stars. I only woke up because there was a humpback whale so close that it rocked the boat Danny! It was too dark to get a photo but Grace would have loved it. It's amazing!"</p><p>"A huge dark shape lit only by the moon under my boat in an endless expanse of water..." Danny hummed to consider it but his insides shuddered at the idea, "I think, actually no, I'm certain, I would rather eat pineapple pizza."</p><p>"<em>Wow</em>!" Steve's laugh curled through his words so deeply that Danny smiled back. "That's- that's a big disappointment. You’re crazy man."</p><p>"You're crazy, you’re out there!" Danny argued.</p><p>Steve opened his mouth to say something but he stopped himself. It would have worried Danny too much. Steve himself knew it sounded crazy but...</p><p>He had been gone for months okay? He had been alone for months. And the ocean, as much as he loved it, as much as it always felt like such an adventure, it could play tricks on a man. That's why pirates thought sirens existed and why mermaids have been spotted on rocks, it plays tricks on your mind. But sometimes... just sometimes... when the water is still and the air is clean and usually just as the stars are starting to appear... just when the loneliness starts to set in... sometimes he swore he could hear Danny's voice across the water.</p><p>It was ridiculous, he knew, but he couldn't help it. And it wasn't like he was actually having a conversation with this disembodied voice - not like he was now - but it felt... nice. Whenever he heard it, it was like Danny was sitting across the room from him, in his office, and he had leaned through the door to call out to him.</p><p>"Hey, bird brain, don’t forget to eat something healthy today. Don't be a Neanderthal, if you get scurvy I'll kill you!"</p><p>"Don't forget, we want you home Steve. Don't get yourself lost, we're waiting for you."</p><p>"If the island calls don’t fight it."</p><p>"I miss you..."</p><p>Alright maybe Steve was just imagining it but they made him feel a little less alone every time he heard them. And it wasn't every night anyway. Just enough of them to be too much of a coincidence. Part of him was convinced that Danny was sending him messages on the wind somehow and he was saying whatever he couldn’t say on the phone.</p><p>Yes, it sounded insane, he was in Libya, Danny was in Hawaii, but it was <em>happening</em>. Stanger things happened. At least it made him feel a little less alone and small and scared.</p><p>"The kids have been sticking your postcards on the fridge y’know. I'm running out of space for them," Danny said.</p><p>He was just trying to continue the conversation. He wasn’t ready for it to end, but Steve had been quiet for a while now. He just wanted a little while longer.</p><p>"I could sent you a new fridge," Steve teased.</p><p>"Keep your money for your boat, if it breaks down I don’t want you eaten by sharks," Danny teased back.</p><p>"You're only saying that so that if I now get eaten by sharks you can say I told you so in your eulogy," Steve smirked.</p><p>"Followed immediately by he never listened anyway so it serves him right!" Danny grinned.</p><p>The laughter between the two of them felt, briefly, as though they hadn't been apart. That they were still side by side. Where they belonged. And then Steve had to ruin it.</p><p>"You sure you don’t want anything from Africa man? I can send it before I get back on the ship-"</p><p>"Nothing. It's fine."</p><p>"Alright then I'll just get these postcards then. And some stamps. At least I can entertain myself by writing these tonight."</p><p>"Have fun..."</p><p>"Aloha."</p><p>Danny looked up towards Diamond Head as the stars began to creep out and ring themselves across the sky. There were no clouds out tonight and it unsettled him. There were always clouds somewhere. If they weren’t here, they could be out at sea. Hundreds of miles away from the shore. And Steve could get caught up by them...</p><p>Danny shook the thoughts from his mind as he looked out across the ocean again. She would be of no help. Instead Danny looked to the sky.</p><p>"I'll make a deal with you. I'll take another hurricane here, and you make sure it's all stars and plain sailings for him, yeah?"</p><p>The stars twinkle on, disinterested. Danny was one small human on a small island in an endless ocean, desperately wishing for another small human in a boat further out in the endless ocean, to be safe. Neither of them mattered a jot to the universe around them. They never had.</p><p>And yet, somewhere on the horizon around Hawaii, storm clouds began to brew.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What?!"</p><p>"I said it's been raining for weeks! This storm came out of nowhere!"</p><p>"Oh!"</p><p>Steve had to raise his voice to be heard and he still struggled to hear Danny.</p><p>"I've had wind," Steve said.</p><p>"Charming," Danny said.</p><p>Steve rolled his eyes, "The weathers been windy!"</p><p>"Could have been worse. You could have said you've been blown," Danny teased.</p><p>"Who says I haven't?" Steve winked.</p><p>Danny's stomach knotted. He really, really hoped that he was joking. He didn’t want to hear about Steve being with someone else. Anyone else.</p><p>"You ought to be careful with women who hang around docks y’know. They've got no class if they're going home with you," Danny said.</p><p>"Ha ha," Steve said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes but his smile was solid. "The winds been helpful actually. I think I'll be in Barcelona by tomorrow."</p><p>"That's... that's faster than I thought," Danny said.</p><p>"Yeah well I'm hoping I'll have time to drive to Madrid and see the mountains now," Steve said.</p><p>"What, Hawaii doesn’t have enough mountains for you?" Danny scoffed.</p><p>"Not with as much silver, no," Steve said.</p><p>"I'm telling you now if you buy Charlie a sword I'll let him practice on you!"</p><p>"If you let him start learning now then by the time I get back to Hawaii he'll probably be an expert."</p><p>"Then he'll be able to expertly slice you apart."</p><p>Steve wrinkled his nose. He knew how excitable that kid was. Skilled and excited he would be dangerous with a blade.</p><p>"No sword then. Do you want something fancy while I'm there? Something gold maybe?" Steve offered.</p><p>Danny huffed impatiently. "You keep asking me what I want, I don't want anything! I have everything I want in life, I don't need anything more."</p><p>Danny was tired. He had moved house so frequently that what he opened could fit into suitcases. He only kept things that mattered. Anything that Steve sent him he didn't want. He wanted Steve.</p><p>Steve's tone softened. He didn’t mean to frustrate Danny. He just missed him.</p><p>"I just mean... I've been gone for a long time now Danny... I just thought that if there was something you could remember me by, things would be easier for you."</p><p>Danny almost laughed. He had been washed out of his house by a leak back when the rain started falling heavily again, and had ended up at Steve's, with everything he owned. He went to work in his car, exhausted in the mornings and grumbling about always having to be the one who drove now days. At work, he had taken over Steve's office, not because he wanted it, but because he couldn’t stand the idea of someone who wasn't Steve having it. Every factor of his life reminded him of the man. He didn't need a present.</p><p>"Steve, I can remember you just fine thanks. I don’t need junk to do so."</p><p>"Alright well... I offered. I should get some rest before the morning. Aloha..."</p><p>"Aloha."</p><p>Steve ran a hand across the back of his neck as he let out a long sigh. There was a dull ache in his chest to be rejected again. Talking to Danny was the only part of his day that let him use his voice. He hadn’t seen another person in weeks. The only beings he spoke to besides Danny were the ocean, the sky, and the moon. She was beautiful tonight, the moon. So huge and round that she took up the whole sky, and blasted light down at the ocean so bright that Steve didn’t need his lamp for a change. He looked down at the post cards on his table, both silver in the moonlight. One for Charlie. One for Grace.</p><p>Nothing for Danny.</p><p>He sighed again and raised his head to the moon. "How do I tell him? I made such a big deal out of leaving to find some big answer... How do I tell him I'm coming home empty handed?"</p><p>The moon did not answer. She never had. She just hung in the sky over him, like a never fading promise that someone was watching over him, even if he couldn’t see them.</p><p>...</p><p>Due to the storm the mail had been delayed but somehow, using his keen business dexterity no doubt, Kamekona had gotten his hands on some that hadn't quiet made it to the sorting office. Including some international mail. From a ship out at sea. For a small fee he would be willing to hand it over. And if Danny hadn't been a cop and hadn't reminded Kamekona that tampering with the mail is a criminal offence, maybe that would have been another business revenue for Kamekona to go into. Instead he just tossed Danny's mail at his feet, huffed, and left. Danny didn’t even bend before Charlie was on his knees grabbing the postcards that could only be from one man, in both hands.</p><p>"I got another postcard from Uncle Steve! This one's from P... Pe... Per..."</p><p>Grace turned the postcard over to read the location sprawled across the front, "Peru, they're from Peru."</p><p>"Peru!" Charlie squealed in excitement.</p><p>"That's great bud. Isn’t it cool he hasn’t forgotten us?" Danny smiled.</p><p>"How could he forget us Danno, he's ohana," Charlie scoffed. He read it eagerly and slowly his face fell. "Oh..."</p><p>Danny and Grace shared a concerned look at the way the boys shoulders sagged sadly.</p><p>"What’s it say?" Danny asked.</p><p>Charlie sniffed as he held it out for someone else to take. Before Danny could reach Grace snatched it up.</p><p>"Hey Charlie, did you know that a llama can spit up to 4.5 meters?! How cool is that?! I asked the farmer just for you. I don't know when I'll be coming back again. I miss you a lot, but I'm really excited to see what comes next..." Grace's smiled faded too, "Lots of love Uncle Steve."</p><p>She sighed. Her arm fell to her side, disappointed. Danny felt that familiar ache in his chest again. Every time that bubble of hope fell through their letter box it always got burst afterwards.</p><p>"He's been gone forever," Charlie complained.</p><p>"He's trying to answer an important question Charlie. It's hard to know where you belong," Danny said gently.</p><p>"He belongs here," Charlie said stubbornly.</p><p>"I know. We all know that. But sometimes you have to let people find things out for themselves so they can remember it easier," Danny insisted.</p><p>"Like how I said don't throw rocks at the wasp nest and you said why and I said just don’t, and then what happened?" Grace asked.</p><p>"I learned not to throw rocks at a wasps nest," Charlie grumbled.</p><p>"Exactly," Grace smirked.</p><p>Danny rolled his eyes. If it wasn't Steve then these two would be the death of him for sure.</p><p>There was a break in the storms that night. It released the island from its clutches and moved along through the oceans without much care. Danny was throwing a ball for Eddie to chase as he walked along the beach, thinking about Steve's postcards.</p><p>He looked up at the moon as it reared its head from behind some dark clouds and lit the beach around him. Eddie went racing off after his ball and had to sniff through the sand to find it. Danny's eye trailed down from the moon towards the horizon. There was no sign of any ship heading their way, which made sense. The storm had passed, but the water was still rocky. The wind was still whipping across those waves. Any ship out there in the darkness would be having a hard time staying upright right now.</p><p>Danny gasped as the tide lapped at his shoe and informed him that there were holes in the leather. It wasn’t there yesterday he was sure of it. He looked accusingly at Eddie. The dog had taken to chewing his toys to bits recently, but there was nothing to suggest he had caused this hole. Danny huffed. These were his most comfortable boots!</p><p>"Now what am I going to wear?" He grumbled into the wind.</p><p>The wind carried away his words with the storm clouds across the moon. They waited together for a moment, before twirling across him again, sending a shiver down his spine. He tugged at his jacket to fight against the cold. The action didn't work until he turned back to face the ocean.</p><p>It struck him then.</p><p>He had no idea why staring out into the darkness of the water around him made think of Steve, but he was never far from his mind. It was odd. Ever since he was a kid the ocean had terrified Danny. He had been wary the entire time he had lived on this island. Yet, somehow, knowing that Steve was out there somewhere and the water kept them connected, however distant, it was oddly comforting.</p><p>When the phone rang Steve was taken by surprise. The day had barely started. He had just hired a car to drive to Madrid from Barcelona. Usually their calls were later than this. Whatever this was, it was important.</p><p>"Danny, hey, everything okay?" Steve asked urgently.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, everything's fine but um..."</p><p>Danny trailed off. This was stupid. Really stupid. But he missed Steve like he had lost an arm and he wanted something to keep him close.</p><p>"Um?" Steve repeated.</p><p>"Well there's a storm that's heading across the ocean so Mamo says take heed of the Western wind," Danny said.</p><p>Good old Mamo. Always looking out for him. Steve was very fond of the old man, but his chest was still tight with concern.</p><p>"Is that it? You called me just for that? Danny, I'm in Spain! I'm not sailings anywhere for three days, I'm sure I'll be fine!" Steve laughed.</p><p>"Not just that."</p><p>Steve's heart thumped. Danny's voice shouldn't sound like that. It shouldn't sound concerned.</p><p>"What’s up? Talk to me."</p><p>Danny licked his lips uncertainly. "Does your offer still stand?"</p><p>"My offer?" Steve frowned.</p><p>"Your dumb dog ate my leather boots," Danny grumbled.</p><p>"He did? That doesn't sound like Eddie, are you feeding him right?" Steve frowned.</p><p>"I know how to take care of an animal Steve-"</p><p>"Do you?"</p><p>"I took care of you didn’t I?!"</p><p>"Yeah, I guess," Steve's voice warmed with a chuckle. "So you want new ones?"</p><p>"Please," Danny muttered, defeated.</p><p>"Will Spanish leather do?"</p><p>"Sounds good."</p><p>"Great. I'll see what I can find."</p><p>"Mahalo. And Steve?"</p><p>"Yeah bruh?"</p><p>"Try to be careful."</p><p>Steve's chest warmed further to hear the way Danny still worried. "Where's the fun in that?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The knock on the door was quiet. Almost nervous. Danny missed it entirely. They had to knock again just to get Charlie to hear them. Charlie didn't look up from his game as he yelled:</p>
<p>"<em>Door</em>!"</p>
<p>Danny stumbled back into the room to glance between his son on the couch and the door behind him.</p>
<p>"Here's a fun idea why don’t you try answering it?" He asked sarcastically.</p>
<p>"Mama says not to answer the door if we're not expecting anyone, it's not safe," Charlie stated.</p>
<p>"That's why we have a peep hole," Danny said.</p>
<p>Danny peered through said peephole now. What he saw dropped his heart into his stomach. Whoever was outside, they didn't want him to see them. They had pressed their hand over the peephole to block the view. Danny leaned back to Charlie and lowered his voice.</p>
<p>"Hey, go wait in the kitchen for me will you bud?" He said.</p>
<p>The concern in his voice sent a cold chill through Charlie. "Why?"</p>
<p>"Just go."</p>
<p>Charlie didn’t argue. He slipped off of the couch and hurried away into the kitchen. He shut the door behind him, just like he had been trained. Danny took a deep breath. If they were in real danger they would have barged the door down by now.  Just in case, he reached for a heavy lamp from a nearby table. Danny opened the door cautiously.</p>
<p>His stomach dropped.</p>
<p>Steve gave him a lopsided grin through the gap. "Hey."</p>
<p>Danny threw the door open, eyes wide with amazement. He was a lot hairier than he had imagined. Being along on a boat he hadn’t really bothered to shave much. He had when he decided to come home, but that was a few days ago now and the salt and pepper stubble had grown back in. Since there was no one around to cut his hair that too had grown. It was longer than he liked. Longer than Danny had ever seen it. It flopped across his head every time he tried to shake it out of his eyes and he couldn’t hide the specks of grey dappled across it. Danny stared. It had been two days since he last heard from Steve. As far as he was aware he was still in Tuscany. Which begged the question-</p>
<p>"Wh- what are you doing here?"</p>
<p>Steve's smile grew as he lifted the box in his arms. "Special delivery."</p>
<p>Dazed, Danny staggered backwards to allow him in. Steve followed. He stayed a little distant from him to give Danny a little time for reality so set in. They ended up on the couch beside each other. Steve set the box on the coffee table for Danny. Danny eyed him cautiously.</p>
<p>"For the kids?" He asked uncertainly.</p>
<p>Steve shook his head. "For you."</p>
<p>"Me?" Danny blinked.</p>
<p>Steve nodded. Danny looked down at the box uncertainly. He shifted awkwardly as he reached out to pick it up. He picked the lid off as Steve tapped his foot nervously. Shoes weren't exactly something he was an expert in, but Danny was. Usually anyway. He knew what size Danny's shoes were in American but in Europe sizes he was guessing the difference. He had just picked whatever style he thought he could imagine Danny wearing. Now that he was facing him he hoped he made the right choice.</p>
<p>Danny lifted one boot out of the papers with a slight gasp. These were hand crafted ankle high black leather boots with solid soles good enough for him to wear to work. They were shining with polish. They were almost exactly the same as the ones that Eddie had nibbled on, only these ones had a stamp of authenticity burned into the heels.</p>
<p>"You like them? I wasn't sure if they were right but I thought they'd suit you," Steve said.</p>
<p>"Why - why didn't you just send it?" Danny stammered.</p>
<p>"I wanted to bring it back with me. I... I didn't want to come home empty handed," Steve insisted.</p>
<p>Danny's eyes snapped up onto him urgently. "You mean if I had agreed to that stupid camel bobble head I could have saved you three months of sailing?"</p>
<p>Steve gave a soft laugh, "Yeah I guess."</p>
<p>"Why didn't you say that?!" Danny cried desperately.</p>
<p>Danny had always been full of passion. It escaped him at velocity. The joy and relief and delight that Steve was back home again came out as shouting, even if he didn't mean to. It caused a bubble of laughter in Steve's chest but he was still a bundle of nerves.</p>
<p>"Because I didn't want you to think that I..." Steve gaped slightly as he searched for words, "I- I thought maybe if I just came home that wouldn’t be enough because... I went away to find where I belonged and when I was out on the ocean all by myself, thinking about all the places I could go, I realised there's only one place that I wanted to be. But you said you didn't want anything and I didn’t have an excuse to come back."</p>
<p>"You don’t need an excuse to come home you idiot, the excuse is that it's home!" Danny cried.</p>
<p>"Really?"</p>
<p>"Come here!"</p>
<p>Steve gasped as Danny tackled him into the couch. He wrapped his arms around his chest and squeezed him tightly. As he adjusted to the grip, Steve laughed brightly. He wriggled to fit against him and hold him just as tight. Danny rubbed his head against Steve's chin slightly to try and catch that smell on his skin. The salty spray was still plastered over him but there was something else behind it. Something he couldn’t put his finger on. Steve closed his eyes to breath in Danny's hair gel. He smiled as his heart skipped a beat. After months of travelling he finally felt like he had found where he belonged.</p>
<p>"I missed you, you Neanderthal," Danny muttered into Steve's chest.</p>
<p>Steve chuckled warmly as he squeezed Danny tighter. "I missed you too Danno."</p>
<p>The two of them slipped away from each other just far enough that Danny could lay his head against Steve's shoulder. Steve beamed.</p>
<p>"I wish I'd settled for that stupid Camel. You could have come home a lot sooner," Danny muttered.</p>
<p>Steve licked his lips nervously. Danny could feel his pulse race faster through his chest. Steve was nervous. Danny wasn’t sure he'd ever seen that before.</p>
<p>"I had to come home now Danny because... because I love..."</p>
<p>Danny tensed. Steve's pulse raced faster to feel him. His voice quivered. Danny pulled back to look at him, eyes wide with hope and fear.</p>
<p>"You what?" He muttered eagerly.</p>
<p>Steve gulped. "I love you..."</p>
<p>Danny's eyes widened to saucers as his mouth fell low. Steve winced nervously, waiting for him to react. The tension hanging between them made his chest ache.</p>
<p>"It's okay if you don't, I never really expected-"</p>
<p>Danny pressed a hand against Steve's cheek and drew him closer to plant a kiss into his jawline. It was the only part he could reach. Steve tensed completely at Danny's touch. He gasped so quietly that Danny pulled back. Steve stared at him, floored. Danny's cheeks flushed.</p>
<p>"I kinda figured," he smiled sheepishly.</p>
<p>"You never said anything," Steve breathed.</p>
<p>"If you didn't go neither of us would ever have known for sure that you wouldn’t be more comfortable somewhere else. I didn't  want you to stay if you belonged somewhere else," Danny said.</p>
<p>Steve ducked his head against Danny's. His mouth curled against his to draw him in. Steve gave a soft chuckle that vibrated through both of their jaws. Danny's cheeks flushed darker. Steve felt the heat from them against his own. His smile grew and Danny could feel it. It made his heart swell. Steve's hands curled around the back of Danny's neck to tug him that much closer. The blush grew every time Steve broke away to laugh in disbelief that this was actually happening before kissing him again. It melted Danny a little more every time until Danny grinned too wide to kiss him and just rested his head against Steve's.</p>
<p>"I belong here. With you," Steve smiled.</p>
<p>Danny chuckled. His tangled his fingers in Steve's shirt to pull him close. "I know."</p>
<p>"How do you know? How do you know when I don't?" Steve challenged.</p>
<p>"Because I'm a better detective than you," Danny smirked.</p>
<p>Steve threw his head back to laugh, "Oh really?!"</p>
<p>Danny's grip on Steve's shirt tightened and yanked him in again. Steve had been gone way too far for way too long to let there be any distance between them now.</p>
<p>"It was obvious," Danny admitted, "You said that saying I love you was a big deal because you cant just take that back. But you and me, we said it all the time. It was easy, because I love you."</p>
<p>Steve's eyes widened and his grin shone brighter than sunlight. He threw himself at Danny. Their teeth clashed as he did but Danny adjusted to catch him better. To do so he opened his mouth. Steve leapt on the opportunity to taste him. It had been far too long and he was <em>hungry</em>. Danny shivered with pleasure as Steve's hand ran up his nape and into his hair. Steve delighted in it. He gave a groan that Danny devoured. They only stopped because their lungs desperately needed air. At least Danny's did. Steve was breathless but he knew he could hold out longer. To give Danny time to recover though, he ran his fingers through Danny's hair.</p>
<p>"It's a real shame that you're never going to see my ship. I named it after you," Steve said.</p>
<p>Danny laughed, "you did?!"</p>
<p>Steve wrinkled his nose. "Sort of. Okay, I didn't. It's unlucky to give it a male name so I named it..."</p>
<p>"If you say Catherine I swear to god-" Danny snarled.</p>
<p>"I named it Grace."</p>
<p>"You did?"</p>
<p>Danny's face changed instantly. He was touched. And a little bit jealous. But he was delighted by how much Steve loved his family.</p>
<p>"Technically I named it Grace The Waves. Grace was taken."</p>
<p>"That's cute."</p>
<p>"I'm a cute guy," Steve purred.</p>
<p>Danny opened his mouth to bicker, but he paused, "Wait- what happened to your boat?"</p>
<p>"<em>Ship</em>," Steve corrected.</p>
<p>"Don’t start that again. What happened? why cant I see it?" Danny asked.</p>
<p>"Because I sold it. I needed money for a plane ticket. sailing home took too long. I missed you too much," Steve admitted.</p>
<p>Danny snorted as he tangled his hands in Steve's overgrown hair to pull him closer all over again. "Goof."</p>
<p>That was all he managed to say before swallowing Steve's mouth in again. Steve's hands would have become more adventurous if a little voice in the kitchen hadn’t become impatient.</p>
<p>"Can I come out yet?!"</p>
<p>Steve yanked away from Danny instantly as his heart raced again. "Charlie's here?"</p>
<p>Danny wrinkled his nose apologetically. He had forgotten that his son was safely hidden in the kitchen.</p>
<p>"Come on out bud, sorry," he called.</p>
<p>Charlie threw the door open and came racing out into the living room screaming, "UNCLE STEVE!"</p>
<p>Steve didn’t have time to untangle from Danny before Charlie leapt on them the two men grunted in pain. It died as Steve  laughed all over again. He scooped Charlie up and bundled him close to his chest.</p>
<p>"You’re so hairy!" Charlie's voice was muffled by Steve's chest.</p>
<p>Steve laughed, "I missed you too bud!"</p>
<p>He looked up to Danny, his eyes shining bright with affection. Danny's eyes shone back as he beamed at him. Heart eyes didn’t exist in the real world but these were closer than any others. Steve's eye passed by the open door to the fridge in the kitchen. It was hard to see it. There were too many post cards pinned to it by magnets. They even hid the report cards Steve was used to seeing there. He gave another bright laugh to see it.</p>
<p>"Wow you weren't kidding about the fridge!"</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Danny set his feet on his desk, setting his heels carefully beside the solar powered hula dancer next to the Jersey state flag, and showed off his boots. He admired them affectionately. They were more comfortable than he expected for new shoes. Steve had tucked blister pads into his back pocket - mostly for the excuse to squeeze his ass - before he got into his car just in case. Right now though he wasn't sure he needed them. Although that could have been the endorphins still running through his mind.</p><p>It took about thirty seconds for Tani to be drawn in by the shoes. She elbowed Junior. Danny could see them talking about them through the window of his office. He smirked. The plan was working. It was stupid and childish but it was working. He still waited. He waited for Lou and Adam to be swept up in Tani's conversation. He waited for them to tease her. To joke. To keep glancing his way so blatantly. For cops they were terrible at subtle.</p><p>Finally, Danny removed his feet from his desk, stood up, and watched his co-workers scatter.</p><p>"Alright," he declared as he walked back into the room, "what are we talking about?"</p><p>They played innocent. Danny tried hard not to let the amusement flicker on his face.</p><p>"Any word from Steve? He's been gone a while now," Adam asked.</p><p>"Yeah that big old office is looking sad and empty without him," Tani agreed.</p><p>"He'll be back when he's ready," Junior said, confidently.</p><p>That won him looks from the others. None more so than Tani, who put her hand on her hip to challenge him.</p><p>"What makes you an expert?" She asked.</p><p>"I understand the navy mentality. If the ocean wants you to sail, you sail," Junior shrugged.</p><p>He said it calmly. Like a statement of fact and nothing more. Lou still tittered at him while Adam smiled down at the table.</p><p>"That's not special to the navy Reigns that's what all sea faring folk say," Tani argued.</p><p>"Uh huh and where is the navy mostly based?" Junior challenged.</p><p>He raised his eyebrows and grinned as Tani stamped her foot and tried to come up with an argument that didn’t prove him right. When she couldn't she huffed. That made the others laugh again, and Danny smile in amusement.</p><p>"He's got you there," Lou grinned.</p><p>"Whatever," Tani huffed, "have you heard from Steve or not?"</p><p>"I haven't had a single postcard from Steve since the last one guys. I take it neither have any of you?" Danny said.</p><p>It was rare for Steve to send postcards to any of Five-O but he had sent a couple. One to Tani and Junior addressed to "the kids", one to Lou that had a golf course on the front and the words "34 Under Par" on the back with no explanation and Lou didn't believe any of it, and one for Adam that was also signed by Chin. He had sent all of them to the office. They were pinned up in each individual office, except for Tani and Junior's which was currently stuck up on Junior's window between their offices. It was a taunting challenge to Tani. They liked to steal it from one another and set it on display as a trophy until the other could steal it back.</p><p>"No but we also don't get phone calls from him. Has he called?" Lou argued.</p><p>"Not since he told me he was in Tuscany," Danny said, honestly.</p><p>"Italy! Nice. I hope he brings me something nice," Tani grinned.</p><p>"Speaking of nice- your shoes Williams," Lou announced.</p><p>A ripple went across the room as the others prepared themselves for the teasing they were about to throw his way.</p><p>"Yes!" Tani grinned.</p><p>"Those are new," Adam smiled.</p><p>"You like them? They're Spanish leather," Danny said.</p><p>He tried hard to look casual about it but his insides were beaming with pride that was desperate to find a way out.</p><p>"Fancy," Lou grinned, approvingly.</p><p>"Very fancy. Way too fancy for you," Tani agreed.</p><p>"Yeah, they haven’t even got any scuff marks yet," Junior teased.</p><p>"Don’t worry im sure he'll get blood on them at our next crime scene," Adam smirked.</p><p>"Unless its another heiau, then he'll just disrespect the spirits and they'll steal his shoes," Tani said.</p><p>"I don’t think spirits steal shoes," Junior said.</p><p>"I didn’t think they'd destroy cars but Kono showed me pictures of his-" Adam began.</p><p>"That wasn't a spirit okay, that was a murderer, and a murderer we caught and brought to justice thank you very much!" Danny interrupted with an indignant huff.</p><p>The others grinned at him. Getting under his skin was a love language of theirs. He teased them enough, they never missed a chance to get their own back.</p><p>"Where'd you find somewhere selling Spanish leather around here?" Lou demanded.</p><p>"Spain," Danny stated.</p><p>The mood shifted slightly as Adam and Tani shared a look. Both silently wondered if they were counterfeit, which would be even funnier for the acting head of Five-O to have brought.</p><p>"You went to Spain?" Tani challenged.</p><p>"He didn’t go to Spain!" Lou snorted.</p><p>"He might have gone to Spain!" Junior argued.</p><p>"I think we would have noticed," Adam pointed out.</p><p>"You don’t even have a passport!" Lou sneered.</p><p>"I have never been to Spain," Danny explained calmly. A smile grew on his face as he looked straight past them and nodded towards the door. "<em>He</em> went to Spain."</p><p>The others frowned and turned to see who he was pointing at. Steve, having shaved and gotten a haircut, stood in the doorway, grinning his megawatt grin. There was a muted chattering as they reacted to seeing him for the first time in months but it was broken by Tank squealing with excitement.</p><p>"Steve!"</p><p>"Aloha!"</p><p>Tani ran over, beaming her own sunny beam and excitedly reached out to hug him far earlier than necessary. She practically bounced as he laughed by her ear. The others came over one by one in a more mundane but still happy welcome. Hugs flowed like wine. He made his way through the room until he was side by side with Danny. Danny grinned at him, nervously. After last night this seemed a lot less scary. Grace had literally screamed in excitement to find out Steve was back and that they were finally dating while Charlie had wondered what the news was. In his mind, they were already dating.</p><p>"So are you back for good? We were just saying the office seems empty without you," Adam said.</p><p>"I will be. I still need to talk to the governor but I'm gonna take a week to settle in first. There's been a lot of changes," Steve explained.</p><p>Lou didn't miss the way that Danny bit his lip and quietly nodded in agreement. He eyed Adam pointedly. Adam was doing his best not to grin as he met Lou's eye. Lou was beginning to think he'd made a rather foolish bet.</p><p>"What did you being me?" Tani demanded.</p><p>Steve cocked his head to the side. "What makes you think I brought presents?"</p><p>He had. They were in the bag that Danny had already snuck into his office. Both of them had expected this to be Tani's reaction and they wanted to use it against her.</p><p>"You brought Danny shoes," she argued.</p><p>"Yeah well Danny's special," Steve said.</p><p>He slung an arm around Danny, who fought the urge to blush. Lou held in a groan. He could tell where this was going and he could feel Adams eyes on him. Adam had to hide his knowing grin behind his hand.</p><p>"Oh really? And what makes Danny so much more special than me?" Tani challenged.</p><p>Steve glanced at Danny for permission. Danny looked nervous but he couldn't hold in his grin. Steve smiled back and tugged him closer as he looked back to Tani.</p><p>"I'm not dating you."</p><p>The cheer that went up was deafening. Tani was practically screaming while Junior clapped his hands and whooped. Lou started counting out dollar bills onto the table and slid them over to Adam who was beaming like the cat that got the cream. Danny laughed so hard that there were tears in his eyes. Steve beamed brightly and proudly as he held onto Danny even tighter. Once the others had gained control of themselves hands started reaching out to shake, and that became pats on the back, and somehow, in some way that none of them really knew how, it turned into a big group hug.</p><p>In the middle of it Steve was grinning so brightly that they Hawaiian sun outside looked dim by comparison.</p><p>It was good to be home.</p>
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